Lift bridge



July 4, 936- J. B. STRAUSS 2,047,601

LIFT BRIDGE Filed Feb. 13, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l AVAVAVA ATTORNEY July 14, 1936. J. B. STRAUSS 2,047,601

- LIFT BRIDGE Filed Feb. 15, 1934 I 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 FIG. 9 .9. M F% |2 I T A? Y 7 2| L F::::: T n?! I 1' FIG 7 FIG 8 mvEmga S 1/ITAUSS ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bridges. The principalobject of this invention is to produce a lift bridge having approach spans and r, a lift span, also towers positioned between the approaches and the lift spanthe trusses of all spans being in alignmenawhich is accomplished by outriggers on the lift span straddling the tower.

A further object is to produce a lift bridge having a rectangular tower structure relatively narrow in form and having an ornamental base, the counter-weights being enclosedwithin the tower, thus giving the bridge a slender minaret appear- 15 -ance.

A further-object is to construct a bridge wherein the cables passing overthe sheaves are at right angles to thespan and in this manner permitting the construction of a relatively narrow tower so within which the counter-weights may be completely concealed, and also a bridge wherein the ornamental base combined with the tower will give a pleasing architectural effect.

YA still further object is to provide a structure 3;, which will perform all of the functions necessary, and at the same time present a pleasing appearance.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In, the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lift bridge con- 7, structed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of a portion of the bridge showing one of the lifting towers,

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3 taken on the line 4-4 of that figure, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the gear and rack connection.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the outrigger housing and cable connection,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan section 50 of one of the outrigger housings as indicated by the line 9-9 in Fig. 7.

Heretofore lift bridges have been constructed with a utilitarian thought in mind, and due to the necessary bracing, cables and counter-weights reeved over drums which had their axis transverse of the bridge, a very unsightly structure was produced. Applicant, has therefore, conceived a lift bridge wherein the axis of the cable drums is arranged in longitudinal relation to the bridge,

5 and 6, respectively. These approach sections l and;8 are common and further reference thereto as to structure will be omitted. As both piers are identical, as well as their supported structure, but one will be referred to.

Viewing Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that an arch 9 extends over the roadway l I and that the legs of thisarch support a tower l2 of openwork or closed construction providedwith a diamond bracing [3, which is'pleasing in appearance and also light in weight as well as extremely rigid in construction. This tower may be capped with an ornamental structure It having illuminated lights M. Carried in the tower and arranged transverse thereof are cable sheaves H. In order to clarify, the meaning of the word transverse, it is here stated that the axis of each one of these sheaves is parallel to and extends in the same direction as the roadway II. By this arrangement it will be noted that the sheaves are mounted directly over the center line of the tower with the result that a counter-weight l8 attached to the cables l9 reeved over each sheave may travel up and down in the tower without introducing any side strain thereto. The opposite end of these cables are attachedto offset outriggers 2| of the lift section I5. It is to be here noted that the outriggers 2| straddle the towers, or in other words, lie in planes outside the plane of the sides of said towers.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that these cables l9 extending down the side of the tower add to the ornamental appearance thereof, and by referring to Fig. 2 it will also be noted that the lower portion of the tower 22 forms an ornamental base and is so arranged that it covers the outriggers 2| when the bridge is in lowered position, thus forming an ornamental housing.

In order to lift the bridge, a central rack 2|] is attached to each tower, which is engaged by a gear 23 attached to a shaft 24 which is driven by any suitable power means, preferably mounted on the lift span of the bridge.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a lift bridge having all the features above set forth.

The letter X in Fig. 1 refers to the dotted line illustrating the old method of bracing lift bridge towers of this general character and is not needed in the tower of my construction.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a lift bridge, a lifting span having outriggers and a stationary rectangular tower positioned at each end thereof, sheaves carried by said tower and positioned transverse of said bridge structure, cables carried by said sheaves said cables being connected to a counter-weight and the outriggers of said lift span, said counterweight being enclosed in said towers, an enclosing section formed at the bottom of said towers and adapted to encompass said outriggers when the span is in lowered position.

2. In a lift bridge, a lifting span and a stationary tower at each end thereof, said towers being rectangular and relatively narrow, counterweights enclosed in said towers, supporting piers for said towers, base enclosing sections at the bottom of said towers to form an ornamental housing, outriggers connected to said lift bridge and straddling said towers, cables connected to said outriggers and to said counter-weights and sheaves mounted in said towers and positioned transversely of the span said sheaves having said cables reeved thereover.

3. In a lift bridge, a lift span, a pair of spaced towers, sheaves mounted in said towers and arranged transverse of the bridge structure, cables reeved over said sheaves, and having one end secured to outrigger sections of said span and the opposite ends to a counterweight, the point of connection between said cables and said outriggers being outside of the vertical line of the tower.

4. In a bridge of the character described, a pair of spaced towers, a movable bridge section supported between said towers, means for raising said section with respect to said towers, said means including cable sheaves mounted on said tower, outriggers formed on said movable section, cables connected to said outriggers and passing over said sheaves, said outriggers straddling said towers and a counterweight secured to the free end of said cables.

5. In a bridge of the character described, a pair of spaced towers, a movable span section supported between said towers, means for raising said section with respect to said towers, comprising cable sheaves and including outriggers formed on said movable section, said outriggers straddling said towers, cables connected to said outriggers and to a counterweight and reeved over said sheaves supported in said towers, said sheaves being arranged with their axis parallel to the roadway over said bridge section and the span supporting sections of said cables extending outside said towers.

6. In a lift bridge, a pair of stationary towers at each end thereof, a lifting span arranged between said towers, said towers being rectangular and relatively narrow, counter-weights enclosed within the towers and arranged transversely of the lifting span, supporting piers for said towers, enclosing sections at the bottom of said towers and forming a housing therefor, outriggers connected to the lift span and operating in a plane outside said towers and enclosed within said housing when in lowered position, cables connected to said counter-weights and said outriggers, cable sheaves arranged in said towers and positioned transversely of the roadway, said sheaves having said cables reeved thereover, and elevating means carried by said lift section and cooperating with said towers to cause the lifting of said lift span.

7. In a. bridge of the class described, a pair of spaced towers, a vertically movable bridge section supported between the towers, outriggers formed on the ends of the movable section and lying in a plane outside said towers, cable sheaves arranged in said towers transversely of the span and counter-weights arranged within the tower frames and transversely of the span, and cables connected to said outriggers and said counterweights and reeved over said sheaves whereby certain sections of said cables extend vertically and centrally relative to said towers.

8. In a bridge of the class described, a pair of spaced towers, a vertically movable bridge section supported between said towers, outriggers formed on the ends of said movable section and extending on opposite sides of said towers, the base of said towers having recesses formed therein whereby said outriggers will be concealed within said base when said movable section is in its lower-most position, cables extending upwardly from said outriggers in a plane parallel with the outer surface of said towers, sheaves arranged on said towers, said sheaves carrying said cables, a counter-weight arranged within said towers and having said cables attached thereto, the axis of said sheaves being parallel with the roadway of said bridge and extending in the same direction.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS. 

